Australian consultancy Edge Environment is seeking to challenge conventional thinking on building products by using life cycle assessments.

The research seeks to address common myths of what is 'good' for the environment, using life cycle assessment to uncover the full environmental impacts of products.

For example, a recently produced report says the common assumption is that double glazed windows will insulate better from the elements, either keeping the heat outside in summer or inside in winter, therefore reducing the need to cool or heat the building in either season.

However in the example, LCA measures the trade-off between the building’s energy use (for heating and cooling) vs the energy and other environmental impacts embodied in the finished glass product. By using ‘less’ window (single glazing), even the added heating or cooling energy is less than the embodied energy in the additional glazing.

They conclude that in Australian areas where the climate is very mild and only minimal heating or cooling are required, the embodied impacts in the window manufacturing process (and materials mining) phases prove to be dominant to the LCA of the windows. Single glazing is therefore the preferred option.

However in the Northern Territories, the cooling needs of buildings are high enough to justify the additional embodied impacts for double glazed windows.

They add that nder heating conditions though, double glazed windows are justified in all States and Territories except the Northern Territories and Queensland. Under combined heating and cooling conditions, such as in fully air-conditioned buildings, double glazed windows are justified in all States and Territories except Queensland and Western Australia.

Click here to dowload the full article in pdf format.

David Wheeldon

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